Leap Year
by knicnort3
Summary: Bella decides to travel to La Push in order to ask her boyfriend, Jacob, to marry her. Lost in an area she is unfamiliar with, she meets Edward, an Uber driver, who may be just as lost as she is, in more ways than one. O/S. Twilight Goes to Hollywood entry. E/B, AH


**Summary** : ONE SHOT \- Tired of her five year relationship not progressing, Bella decides to take matters into her own hands. Every leap year, the Quileute have a long standing tradition where women can propose to their men, and the men must accept, so Bella decides to travel to La Push in order to ask her boyfriend, Jacob, to marry her. Lost in an area she is unfamiliar with, she meets Edward, an Uber driver, who may be just as lost as she is, in more ways than one.

-Based on the movie ' _Leap Year'._ This was an entry for the _Twilight Goes to Hollywood_ contest. Thank you to everyone who voted!

\- **DISCLAIMER** : Twilight and its inclusive material are copyrighted to Stephenie Meyer. Any movie plots are copyrighted to their respected writer/director/producer. Original creations, including but not limited to plot and characters, are copyrighted to the respective authors of each story. No copyright infringement is intended.

 ******* Originally Beta'd by _Graceful One_ , but I've tweaked a few things since then, so any mistakes are mine. Thank you!

...

 **Leap Year**

"I cannot believe that this is actually happening. I didn't fly across the country, and get into a strange man's car that smells like cat piss and is covered in a blanket of dirt two inches thick, only to get stuck in the middle of nowhere, with absolutely no cell service. Fuck, my life!" I grumbled from the passenger seat of said car.

"Hey, I already apologized for the smell," Edward retorted. "My window got stuck down last night, and a cat must have decided to claim it by marking its territory. It's not the best of situations, but hey, shit happens. You get used to the smell after a while."

"No, you don't! Your window probably wouldn't have even gotten stuck had it actually been the 2008 Volvo you claimed it was on your Uber profile!" I nearly shouted at him. "You can put fake emblems on your car all you want, but it's still a 1980's Toyota!"

He nodded with a shrug. "Yeah I'll give you that, but I didn't think anyone would accept my ride if I listed the real make and model. I'm just trying to make enough money to get me where I'm going, and I was doing a fine job of that until I picked you up."

I laughed once. "So you're blaming me for this?"

"I told you not to put on the AC," he replied evenly.

"Its ninety eight degrees outside!" I argued.

"The windows were down!" he snapped back at me.

"The windows were down, and blowing hot wind in my face!" I retorted.

"Its February in Washington, for crying out loud," he grumbled. "It shouldn't be this hot here right now."

"Well, it is." I replied sourly. "You're right about one thing, I never would have taken a ride from you if I knew your car was half broken. You know, lying on your Uber bio could get you in a lot of trouble. I bet your name isn't even Edward Cullen. You probably have some kind of criminal background, don't you?"

"No, I don't. I only lied about my car… and my home address."

I shook my head with incredulity.

"Whatever. I'm not dangerous…"

"Says you!" I cut him off.

"Well, since we are stuck here alone together, you better hope I'm telling the truth on that one."

"Yeah? I just happen to be a yellow belt in karate, so you'd be smart not to try anything," I warned him.

"A yellow belt? Isn't that like, one above white? That's the level most toddlers in karate have."

"I'm sure I could still take you down. Have you ever exercised in your life? I've seen more meat on a Victoria Secret model."

"You have a thing for Victoria Secret models? That's actually really hot," he said teasingly.

"Ugh!" I growled in frustration.

"Okay, okay, let's take a step back," he relented. "We just need to flag someone down, so we can hitch a ride into town."

"We have been sitting here for hours. No one has passed us. I don't even think this is a main road. Why did you drive us down here in the first place?"

"My map showed it as a shortcut."

"Your map?" I asked bewildered. "There's no service here, how could you have followed a map?"

"It wasn't a Google map, it's a real map. You know, the kind made of paper, where you have to try four times to refold it into the proper shape. A map. A real, old fashion, map."

"Old fashion is right, it's probably outdated. This road doesn't look like it's been used in years. Why did you even accept my request for a ride if you didn't know the area?"

"I've been working my way across the country. Driving people with Uber has basically paid my way so far. It's never been an issue before. Trust me, I'm just as frustrated as you are."

"Yeah, I doubt that," I replied full of attitude.

"Just what is your issue anyway?" he asked bitterly. "I know this situation sucks, but you're way more angry than needs be. Do you have some kind of spa day you're missing, or something?"

I wanted to respond with immature foot stomping and sticking my tongue out at him, but I found myself sighing.

"My boyfriend went to his hometown for his friend's wedding tomorrow, so I wanted to surprise him."

He narrowed his eyes at me. "Yeah, I'm not buying it. People don't get this upset over a ruined surprise."

"I really don't care if you 'buy' anything. I'm certainly not going to waste my breath trying to convince you. You are a stranger; I have no reason to lie to you. As soon as we get off this godforsaken road, we will part ways, and I'll never have to deal with you, or your shitty car, ever again."

"Thank god for that," he agreed.

We were both quiet for a few moments, and with the stress of the situation, I was grateful for the silence, but he just couldn't seem to let it go completely.

"So, why wouldn't you have just accompanied your boyfriend to the wedding in the first place?"

I huffed, but then found myself answering him, despite my irritation.

"It's a small wedding, and they didn't invite any plus ones. Besides, I didn't think I could get off work. I'm always so busy."

"But you were able to get off work after all?" he questioned.

"I had to make sacrifices to come… Look, I'll admit this trip was completely last minute. I didn't plan anything the way I should have. I certainly wouldn't have picked a random Uber driver if I had thought everything through completely. I'm usually a very organized person, and if I'm being completely honest, the control freak in me is freaking extra hard right about now. I've never done anything so rash before in my life… but I'm also not usually a bitch, and I realize that's probably how I've been coming across."

"Probably?" he scoffed.

"I'm sorry," I conceded.

Another beat of silence passed between us.

"So you've never done anything spontaneous?" he then asked surprised. When I offer no answer, he says - "Wow… how… boring."

I wanted to be offended by his comment, but he was right, just as much as he was wrong.

"You can call it boring, but I like to think of it as being stable. I've always been the one everyone can count on, and I take pride in that."

"So, why go out of your comfort zone just to surprise your boyfriend?" he asked with his oddly deep green eyes lit with curiosity.

I bit my bottom lip as I began to wonder why I was suddenly opening up to a stranger, and even more curious, was the fact that I couldn't find the will to stop. Perhaps I just needed to unload on an uninterested party. I never really had anyone who would just listen without forming bias opinions. No different than confiding in a hairstylist you just met, this man was nothing to me, therefore I could actually talk to him, and not care about any lingering judgments. It was a relief I didn't even realize I needed.

"Jacob and I have been together for over five years. We live together, and everything is good… except I feel like we've found ourselves in a rut. Anytime I even bring up marriage, he always says we will get there eventually, but… I just don't understand what he's waiting for. We both have great jobs, we have a beautiful apartment… It's not like we're getting any younger. He talks about the family and the life we will have "someday" but I'm just tired of waiting for that elusive someday to finally get here."

"So… you think surprising him at his buddy's wedding, which you weren't invited to, is the way to get him to finally fully commit?" he asked with underlying humor.

"No. Jacob is Quileute. They have a tradition that if a woman proposes on February twenty ninth, the man has to say yes. So with this being a leap year, I'm going to ask him to marry me," I hesitantly admitted.

Edward stared at me blankly for a moment, and then, laughter. I don't mean a chuckle, I am talking about side splitting laughter.

"This isn't a joke," I told him irritated. "You know, I honestly don't know why I told you anything. You probably never even had a worthwhile relationship in your life."

"I'm sorry, I don't mean to laugh, but I'm just at a loss for words. I mean this guy can't be bothered to propose himself because either he doesn't want to, or he isn't ready. And instead of waiting for him to finally kick the bucket, you decide you're going to pressure him into it by relying on his old family tradition?"

I gritted my teeth. "'Kick the bucket' is an idiom for dying, not for proposing."

He shrugged. "Same difference."

"Well, it's clear why you're single," I mumbled, and then decided I wasn't going to let him get the better of me. I would keep my mouth shut from then on out. At least, that was the plan...

"Surely you have to see how absurd this whole thing sounds?" Edward continued. "If the guy wanted to marry you, he would. No need to coerce or guilt him into it. You deserve more than that."

His comment made me grimace. Sure it was slightly absurd, but I wasn't about to admit it, especially not to him. Jacob would be happy about the proposal. I knew him far better than some drifter with a broken down Toyota full of cat piss.

"How do you know what I deserve?" I rebutted. "You don't know me. And why is it so unheard of for the woman to do the proposing anyway? Perhaps you have been traveling so long, that you forgot it's not the eighteen hundreds."

"I don't have a problem with women proposing, but what I think is absurd is the part where you said the Qute way is that the men have to say yes when proposed to on that day."

"It's Quileute." I corrected him. "And it's just a tradition. Obviously he doesn't really have to say yes. I just thought it would be… I don't know, sweet or something."

His lip quirked. "A story to tell your kids and grandkids about someday?"

"Exactly!"

He nodded with the goofiest expression on his face, which only pissed me off.

"Okay, well you don't have to like it. Again, I don't know you!" I exclaimed, before getting out of his car to grab my suitcase out of the trunk.

"Where are you going?" he asked with a mix of curiosity and amusement.

"No one is coming down this road. I'm not going to sit here all day," I explained dryly. "February twenty ninth is tomorrow. I don't have the time to waste."

"Okay, hold on. Let me take your bag," he said while jumping out of the driver's seat, and reaching for my suitcase handle.

"I'm perfectly capable of pulling it myself thank you."

"Listen, we passed a little town a bit ago. I can walk back and get help. If you just stay here…"

"I'm not staying here. It's the middle of nowhere, and there's probably hungry wild animals in this forest."

"You can wait in the car."

"The windows don't roll up," I reminded him. "I'm fine walking."

"It is at least ten miles," he warned me.

"If you can do it then so can I."

"You're in high heels," he pointed out.

"I have inserts," I replied unconcerned.

"Suit yourself," he said, and then he fell back to follow me at a distance.

I walked as quickly as possible, just trying to get off that seemingly endless road. But it wasn't long before I could feel blisters tearing at my feet. I stubbornly persevered, however I couldn't hide my limp completely.

"Don't you have a spare pair of shoes in that bag of yours?" Edward questioned from behind me.

"I told you, I left quickly," I replied without slowing or turning back to answer him.

"Do you even have spare clothes?"

"Of course I have spare clothes. Why would I have a suitcase without clothes in it?"

"I have another pair of tennis shoes in my bag here," he offered. I turned to glance at him, and the bag he had slung over one of his shoulders, but I quickly looked forward again.

"You must be what? Six two or something? There's no way your shoes would fit me. Not that I'd wear them anyway. You probably have some kind of foot fungus."

"Wow, and here I thought you said you would try to stop being such a bitch?"

I stopped mid step, and honestly had to silently count backwards from five to calm myself down.

"You're right. I apologize." I forced the words out.

"You don't handle stress very well, do you?" he concluded.

I laughed once. "What gave you that impression?"

He chuckled. "Even if my shoes are too big, and they aren't full of fungus, by the way, perhaps they might still be more comfortable than those heels you're wearing."

"Thank you, but I'm managing just fine." After walking another half mile, I decided the pain was just too much, so rather than borrow the strange man's shoes, I just pulled off my heels, and resorted to trekking barefooted.

"You're going to tear up the soles of your feet like that," he warned me.

I huffed. "I'm sure you're right," I said before grabbing ahold of one of my heels, and then breaking the stem right off. I did the same with the second heel, and then put the shoes back on my feet.

Edward, once again, looked amused.

"I'm glad I could be your entertainment for the day," I told him. I tried to make it sound bitter, but for whatever reason, I ended up laughing at his silly expression.

"I really am an idiot, aren't I?"

"I was going to say resourceful," he disagreed with a crooked grin that was almost endearing… almost.

"Any idea how much further?" I asked trying my hardest to suck up my sour attitude.

"It sure seems longer when walking it in the heat. I really thought we weren't this far."

I sighed, and then I slowed my stride so I could walk besides him.

"So… what's your story? Why are you driving people you don't know, to places you've never been?" I asked him, just trying to make small talk. Hoping to pass the time a little easier.

He let out a long breath. "I've been living in Chicago for the past couple years, but I never really had one place that I've called home for very long. Then last week I got word that an old guardian of mine had passed, and left something for me in his will, so…" He shrugged.

"So…?" I asked confused.

"The will reading is in a little town called Forks, here in Washington. So I've been making my way there from Chicago for the past several days. Picking up passengers along the way to help with the cost of travel. I only had a few hours left of the trip, but then I got a ding from my Uber app, and saw your request. I figured La Push seemed fairly close to Forks on the map, so I may as well give this one last ride, earn a few more bucks, and then I'd be there. I was not expecting my car to basically take a crap on the side of the road. I am sorry about that."

"Well, I suppose you couldn't have predicted it," I said, accepting his apology.

Just when I felt a twinge of camaraderie for the irresponsible drifter, we heard a car approach in the distance. We both turned towards the sound, and saw an old VW van heading right for us. I immediately started waving wildly, hoping the van would have mercy on me and pull over.

"Yes!" I nearly cheered as it slowed. "Thank god."

"Hey, you need a ride somewhere?" the driver asked me out his window. His long sandy hair was even messier than Edward's, and his van was even more disarrayed. It was thrashed, and smelled heavily of marijuana, but at that point, I couldn't bring myself to care. I just wanted to get off that road.

"Uh… Our car broke down a ways back." Edward spoke before I had a chance to. "Do you have a phone with service in these mountains?"

"Ah man, I carry no phone. It's just me and the road, if you catch my drift. I can give you a ride somewhere though. Oh, but I only have enough space for one of you."

"You're driving a van," Edward argued.

"Yeah, totally, but its full, so I only have this seat here. Sorry man. You going to leave your woman on the side of the road here, or do you want to wait?"

"Oh, I'm not…"

"I think we'll pass," Edward interrupted me. "I'm sure we're not too far from town by now."

"Well, you're still pretty far, I'd say. I wouldn't want to walk it," the man replied.

"We're not willing to separate," Edward told him unwavering, which only confused and pissed me off.

What the hell was his deal? We're not willing to separate? We didn't even know each other.

"Uh, I would actually greatly appreciate that seat, thank you," I spoke up.

"One moment please," Edward told the driver, and then had the audacity to grab me by my arm, and pull me off to the side. Before I even had a moment to yell at him for putting his hands on me without my permission, he was already trying to convince me that the ride was a bad idea.

"I don't have a good feeling about this guy. I've been so many places, and met a lot of people, and I'm usually a fairly good judge of character. This guy is up to something," he tried warning me.

"He's just some air headed surfer dude," I disagreed dismissively. "I doubt he has enough wits about him to come up with anything devious anyway."

Edward shook his head. "Bella, it's really a bad idea to get into a stranger's car."

I had to laugh at that one.

"Says the guy who picks up strangers. I got into your car without knowing you, what's the difference?"

"I'm a vetted Uber driver. It's not the same thing as some random guy offering you a ride on the side of the road."

"Vetted?" I mocked. "Uber clearly does a horrible job since you lied on half your information."

"Okay, you can write an angry email to the CEO, but that still isn't a valid reason to get into this guy's car."

I shook my head. "There's no way I'm going to walk another step on this road if I don't have to. Besides, I am a fairly good judge of character as well, and I'm not getting any weird vibes from him. Except for maybe having a few bongs in the back of his van, he seems harmless to me."

"I'm telling you, it's not a good idea," he maintained.

"Who are you to tell me anything?" I asked irritated.

I didn't want to stand there and argue with him, so I walked back over to the van, and put my suitcase in the small available space between the driver's seat and vacant passenger seat. I was about to get inside as well, but then I started feeling guilty, so I paused and turned back to Edward.

"I'm going to have this guy drive me into town, and then I will send a tow truck back up here for you, okay? You have my word on that," I tried assuring him.

"I'm not the one I'm worried about." Edward said, with concern weighing heavily on his features. Curiously, his eyes were caught by something behind me, and then everything happened too fast to react properly - The door slammed shut, and the van sped away with my luggage inside.

"No!" I shouted, but it was of no use. The van was quickly out of sight, and my luggage was all but a memory.

I stood there and stared blankly in shock for a moment, and then Edward walked up besides me.

"And to think, that could have been you," he said with humor laced in his words.

"Damn it! Can this trip get any worse?"

"Famous last words," Edward mumbled. "Things can always get worse."

I felt like I was about to explode, but then, like a beacon in the storm, that very same van appeared from the direction it had left, and it was heading straight for us once more.

"Oh, Thank god!" I said relieved.

"Uh, I highly doubt he's returning due to an attack of conscience," Edward told me. "I think you should take a step back."

I should have listened to him.

The van didn't slow. It clearly had no intentions of stopping again, and even worse, I barely caught a glimpse of the man's hand reaching out of the window, before something was hurled right at my face.

I gasped.

"Holy shit!" Edward mumbled, completely stunned.

I was absolutely frozen with shock. What the hell just happened? Clumps of putrid food, and some kind of wet substance, slowly started falling from my head.

"Did he seriously just throw his trash at me?"

"Uh…" Edward tentatively reached up to try to brush off my hair the best he could. "Yeah, it's not coming out."

I wanted to cry, and scream, and basically cuss out the entire world, however the sincerely sympathetic look on Edward's face somehow made me realize he was right - it could always be worse.

"Please don't say you told me so," I asked him with a pout, sounding way more like a sulking child then I would have liked.

"I would never rub it in like that… but, I did tell you so."

"Ugh! Whatever. Let's just… keep going," I said with a deep breath. At least I had my purse, and everything in my luggage was replaceable. I still didn't think the idiot would have hurt me if I got into his van. Just because he was a thief, didn't make him a murderer. But I should have listened to Edward. It really was a dumb move on my part. Then again, desperation makes people do dumb shit all the time.

We walked for what felt like hours, and when we finally reached the little town, I was disheartened by the fact that I still had zero cell service. To make matters even worse, because they weren't bad enough already, no one could fix Edward's car until the next morning.

"Is there a cab service I can call?" I asked the woman at the garage where we had Edward's car towed to.

"Sorry, nothing like that out here. We do have a bus station though," the woman informed me.

"That is perfect. Can you point me in the right direction?"

"Its just down the way a bit… Oh, but you know what, they don't have any stops here until Monday."

I had to bite my tongue in order to suppress my frustration. "Okay… So, is there any way I can get out of this town right now?"

"Hmm," she pondered. "I can see if my brother, Earl, can drive you somewhere. He isn't used to being around women, other than me and my mom, so he may say some inappropriate things, but…"

"Bella, if you can just wait for my car to get fixed, I will still make sure you get to your destination," Edward interrupted us.

"But it won't be fixed until morning."

"So, we get a room for the night," he suggested.

"Excuse me?" I asked with raised brows.

"Not 'we' as in us together. Come on, you know what I mean. There's a little motel right across the street. It's obviously not ideal, but we don't have many options right about now. It's only a couple hours to La Push from here. I will make sure you get there tomorrow."

I sighed. "Okay, fine." Of course, because of my wonderful luck, and the hellish trip wasn't done cursing me yet, everything was definitely not fine.

"I'm sorry, the rooms are cash only," The woman behind the counter in the motel lobby informed me.

"Cash only?" I spat. "For a motel room? Look, can you just run my card? I don't carry that kind of cash."

"Our ATM machine is currently down," she replied, before blowing a huge pink bubble with her gum.

"This is a credit card. It's a Visa. Everywhere takes Visa," I argued.

She smiled carelessly. "Not here."

"Hey, what's going on?" Edward asked as he walked up behind me.

"Its cash only. I don't have that much cash," I explained, feeling like I was on the verge of a mental breakdown.

Edward pulled out his wallet, and then looked at me regretfully. "I only have enough for one room."

"No, it's fine. Is there an ATM machine anywhere close by so I can get some cash out?" I asked the woman.

"Hmm, good question," she responded. "The grocery store has one, but that's a few miles away."

"Bella, how about we just share?" Edward offered. "I promise, I'm not a sexual predator, or a serial killer."

"I can't let you pay for my room, even if we're sharing," I politely declined.

"It's the least I can do for getting us into this mess," he urged.

I huffed, and against my better judgement, I reluctantly agreed. "Okay, we can share, but I will pay you back as soon as I can."

"It's not a problem, really."

Once inside the room, I immediately realized that I hadn't hit rock bottom until that very minute. The room was disgusting. Everything was old and smelled like must, and there was only one bed. One small, full sized bed. Even worse was the fact that the bathroom didn't have a door on it. It was just a curtain. A fucking curtain.

"I am not staying here," I said, legitimately disturbed. "This really is the trip from hell, isn't it?"

"Hey, maybe its fate telling you something?" Edward suggested nonchalantly.

"What? That I should have never gotten into your car?" I replied, with far more humor than I expected myself to have in the moment.

He smirked at me. "More like you're making a mistake with your boyfriend."

"Look… Edward… I think it's cute that you have some unrequited, unprovoked, unexplainable crush on me, but my relationship with my boyfriend is none of your business," I quipped.

He laughed. "If I did have a crush on you, it certainly would be unexplainable."

I sneered playfully, and then flipped him off.

He laughed. "I honestly don't care what you and your cold footed boyfriend do. I was just pointing out the fact that fate gives all kinds of signs in the universe, and you seem to be ignoring the ones blaring right in front of you."

I rolled my eyes. "Ugh, you're one of those fate mumbo jumbo wackos?"

"I take it you're not a believer," he grumbled.

"Nope, not even a little bit. My life is in my hands, and my hands alone. I'm not one of the top paralegals in New York City because some mystical energy led me there. I'm where I am because I've worked my ass off since I was twelve to always be the top of my class."

He nodded. "So you're a self-made rich chick."

"I'm not rich, I'm comfortable, but yes, nobody handed me my life. My dad was a cop, and before he died, I promised him I'd be successful in my life. He had always struggled financially, and I knew he wanted better for me. So, here I am… in a place where no amount of money in my bank account could give me better accommodations," I said, and then I couldn't help but giggle at myself.

It was fairly ridiculous that I was completely stuck in that situation, and I could do nothing but laugh, otherwise I'd be huddled in a ball and crying, and there was no way I'd do that in front of him.

"Well, I'm disgusting. I'm going to take a shower," I told him.

"Thank god. You really do stink," he teased me.

I smirked despite myself. "If you have any decency at all, please don't peek."

"I would never," he assured me sincerely. "Oh, here," he said while grabbing some sweats out of his duffle bag. "You don't have anything to change into without your suitcase."

"Oh, uh…"

"They're clean."

"Oh, um… Thank you," I said awkwardly. I really didn't want to wear his things, not because I was worried they were dirty, but because it felt far too intimate somehow. Still, I only had the clothes on my back, and they were filthy, so I graciously accepted.

I stepped into the shower, and even though I trusted him enough to not look, I was still slightly paranoid, so I showered as quickly as possible. When I was finished, I put on his sweats. They were unsurprisingly too big for me, but at the same time, they were probably some of the most comfortable things I had ever worn, even with the pants full of holes.

"Wow, you're swimming in those," he commented as I stepped out of the bathroom.

I snorted. "Were you expecting otherwise? It's your turn to shower."

"Nah, I think I'll pass on the shower," he said casually. "That curtain is entirely see through."

My mouth fell agape.

He chuckled. "Only kidding," he said with a wink, before jumping up to shut himself inside the curtain, and turn on the shower.

Thankfully - or perhaps even a little disappointedly, I couldn't see anything through the curtain while he was inside, but I could definitely hear him as he began singing some song I didn't recognize. Surprisingly, he was actually pretty good.

I sat on the lumpy bed, and listened to him for a few minutes, but then I felt like I was being creepy, so I tried to busy myself with the magazine lying there. It was an old addition of 'Southern Living', so at the very least, I thought I could get inspired by some new recipes. However when I began flipping through, I noticed several of the pages were stuck together with a particular nasty substance, so I promptly tossed it aside.

Who the hell would jack off to 'Southern Living'?

"Hey, you're not like… into Paula Deen, are you?" I asked Edward through the curtain after I heard his shower turn off.

The moment he stepped out of the bathroom, I was rendered absolutely speechless. He was wearing nothing but a pair of shorts, and his body was nowhere near as skinny as I had previously assumed from the way he appeared all hidden under his clothes. He wasn't buff like Jake, but he was tone, and defined in all the right places. I had to admit, he was sexy as hell, and the sight of him was giving me all sorts of unwelcomed thoughts.

Edward snorted. "Oh yeah. Paula is so hot with her smooth southern accent, and Mrs. Claus physicality. She really gets my juices flowing," he joked. "What? Why would you even ask that?"

"That magazine over there seemed to be stuck together on the Paula article, so?"

His features twisted with disturbance. "No, I did not wack off to Paula Deen while you were taking a shower. I've never even seen that magazine before. Gah! Like, seriously, is your boyfriend into weird shit or something? I don't know why you'd even think of something like that."

I giggled. "A simple no would have sufficed… And no, my boyfriend isn't into weird stuff. He's rather perfect actually."

"Good for you. Those annoyingly perfect guys are hard to come by these days," he said condescendingly while plopping down on the bed next to me. "Is he a paralegal too?"

"Lawyer, actually."

"Of course he is," Edward replied with annoyance. "I'm sure he's one of the best in New York, right?"

"Eh," I admitted. "But he's really good looking, and has an amazing body, so that kind of makes up for it."

"Wonderful."

"I'm joking… well, not really. He isn't the best lawyer, and he is really muscular, but that's not why I'm with him."

"Sure it's not. You chicks are all the same. You see a buff guy, and you all swoon. I really don't get why anyone would want a dude so caught up in the gym all the time that they hardly have time for them."

"Aww, sounds like you're a little jealous. Let me guess, a girl you liked in high school chose a jock over you," I teased him.

"It was so traumatic," he fake cried, making me giggle.

"So… If you get some money from this will thing, what are you going to do with it?" I questioned, making another attempt at small talk.

"You're going to think its stupid."

"No, I won't," I tried convincing him.

He shrugged. "I -uh, grew up in foster care, since my mom could never really take care of me, so I was always bouncing around from place to place. I never stayed anywhere longer than a couple months, and most of the people were jerks, or just in it for the government support, but then I was placed with Mr. Carlisle in Forks. He was a well off older man that never married. At first I thought it was weird he'd foster a kid, but I think he was just lonely. He was actually a really cool guy once he opened up. Talked fishing with me, and we watched 'Jeopardy' a lot, but his favorite show was 'Cheers'. You know, that old sitcom about the bar?"

"My dad loved that show," I told him.

"Yeah it was awesome, right? So that's what I want to do. I want to open a bar in some small town somewhere, where the regulars become like family. I never really had a family. So I just always thought that would be so cool."

I nodded. "That would be cool. Where everybody knows your name," I sang.

"And they're always glad you came," he added, and then we both giggled. "What about you? Have you always wanted to be a paralegal?"

I raised my shoulders suddenly feeling bashful. "I just wanted a stable job that my dad would be proud of. But when I was younger, funny enough I actually wanted my own restaurant. I always loved cooking and… I don't know, I just thought that would be amazing."

He nodded with an adorable crooked grin that honesty made my breath catch. "I want a bar and you want a restaurant. See? You're marrying the wrong guy," he joked, making my stomach fill with unwanted butterflies, but then he fell serious again. "Would Mr. Muscles be supportive if you ever decided to take that leap, and go in the restaurant direction?"

I bit my bottom lip as I considered it. "I would hope he'd be supportive, but it's not like its something I'd ever really do. I've built my life on stability. Being a restaurateur is anything but stable. I just really only ever wanted my dad to be proud of me," I said sincerely.

"I'm not a father or anything, but I would think most good parents measure their children's success based on their happiness," he said taking me aback. "Are you truly happy in your life, Bella?" he asked, suddenly making me feel vulnerable, as if he was looking straight through me.

"I'm… Yes, I'm happy," I said sounding far less confident than intended.

His resulting smile was almost wistful. "Well, then that's all that matters. I'm sure you've already made your father proud."

I nodded in appreciation. "I hope so."

Looking at Edward in that moment, a peculiar feeling washed over me. He didn't seem like a stranger anymore. In a weird way, I felt like I had known him my entire life. His eyes were so incredibly deep, and his unruly hair that stuck up in all directions, was strangely appealing in an odd way. He was far more beautiful of a man than I had previously noticed or gave him credit for, and despite the chaotic past several hours, suddenly I knew he was meant to be in my life for a reason I didn't yet understand.

"Who knows, maybe fate is at work after all," I told him. "A bar is better when combined with a grill. We could go into business together one day," I fantasized. I didn't really think it would ever happen, but Edward definitely had me questioning my current life path.

"I'll turn my bar into a bar and grill for you, but I need to draw the line at Mr. Muscles. He may be a lawyer, but by your own admission, he's not a good one, and I think every business needs a good legal team supporting it," he said lightly.

There was a strange buzzing between us, and I knew he had to feel it to. It was so confusing, and for the first time in my life, I truly felt lost. Lost in my own mind, lost in my life, and suddenly completely lost in his eyes. I had never felt anything like the tension radiating from his body to mine. It was foreign, and perplexing, and utterly fascinating. I didn't understand it, but as I found myself fixated on the perfect shape of his lips, I knew I was treading in dangerous waters.

"Well, I'm exhausted. I'm going to try to get some sleep," I mumbled, before hesitantly climbing into the terribly uncomfortable bed.

"That's probably a good idea. I hope to get an early start tomorrow, so I can make sure to get you to that wedding on time."

"Its February twenty ninth all day tomorrow. As long as I get there before midnight," I forced out a laugh.

He grabbed a pillow, and dropped it on the floor, which only made me feel guilty again.

"You don't have to sleep on the floor. You paid for this room. If anything, I should be the one sleeping down there."

"No, you wouldn't be stuck here if it wasn't for me. Its fine. I've definitely slept on worse."

"I wouldn't even have a room right now if it wasn't for you," I argued. "I insist you take the bed."

"Look we're both adults, why don't we just be mature about it, and share the bed. It is plenty big enough for the both of us. I'll sleep above the covers."

I bit my lip as I considered it. That new undesirable desire washed over me, and I was so eager to sleep next to him that it honestly scared me. Developing any type of feelings or attraction for someone I didn't know was entirely uncharacteristic of me. I wasn't that type of girl. The idea of even kissing on a first date had always disturbed me. I was definitely out of my element, and I was beginning to question my very sanity. The day had been far too long, I must have been getting delirious.

I didn't remember actually agreeing to the arrangement, but the next thing I knew, my back was to his, and I was feeling the gentle cadence of his breathing behind me. It was so soothing that despite the tension between us, I quickly drifted off to sleep.

The next morning I must have overslept, because I woke up alone.

"Edward?" I called out.

Clearly, he wasn't in the curtain divided bathroom, so I figured he must have gone across the street to check on his car. He wasn't gone very long, and when he did return, he came like an angel sent from heaven…

"Coffee!" I nearly cried with gratitude.

"I didn't know how you take yours, so I just brought some cream and sugar so you can do your own."

"You have no idea how much I need this right now. Thank you," I said graciously as he handed me the drink.

"That's only the start of it," he said strangely. "I also got you a gift."

"You did?" I asked, surprised by the very idea of him getting me anything more than coffee, and even more surprised by how it made me feel. Those violent butterflies were bound and determined to break free of my chest.

"Well, it's not a diamond or anything," he said with a childish grin that was far too adorable for words. "But you may just call me your hero."

He walked back towards the still opened door, and then he pulled something into view from outside that certainly made him a hero in my eyes.

"My suitcase!" I cried. "How? Where?" I was at a complete loss - in the best possible way.

"Eh. No biggie. I was over there checking on my car, and that moron walked inside the garage lobby. I just demanded he give it back, and he did."

"Just like that, huh?" I asked amused, but not entirely believing his story.

"Well, there may have been a few threats issued, but he gave it up willing."

"What kind of threats?" I asked, finding it terribly attractive that he had confronted my luggage thief in that way. With all his muscles, Jacob was one of the most non-confrontational people I have ever met, and I'd never admit it, but it always bothered me a bit, especially since he was a lawyer and argued for a living.

Edward twisted his lips into what was quickly becoming one of my favorite looks on him. That smirk was absolutely dazzling. "I didn't want to tell you this before, since you were so proud of your karate yellow belt status, but I just happen to be an orange belt."

With that, I was falling over with laughter. "How intimidating," I said between my hysterics.

"I know," he agreed, as if my comment was genuine. "Surfer boy thieves and ten year olds beware."

We laughed together, but when we settled, he had some not so great information to tell me.

"Well, I'm glad the suitcase lifted your spirit… because the car won't be ready for another hour or so."

I bit the inside of my cheek as I considered what that meant. "What time is the will reading for you today?" I asked, curiously finding myself more concerned with his pressing schedule than my own.

"One," he said with a sigh. "I don't think I'm going to make it."

"If the car doesn't take longer than two hours, you can probably still make it if we head straight there without any more stops," I said encouragingly.

"I need to take you to La Push first," he disagreed.

"I told you, I'm not in a rush. We need to get you to Forks before anything else. We can do it, just have a little faith."

"Wow. Well, I have to say, I certainly didn't take you for an optimist."

I raised one shoulder. "I'm not always, but I have my moments."

He smirked at me again. "Those must be some incredible moments."

I felt my face flood with heat from his words, so I was thankful when he changed topics.

"Hey, why don't you change your clothes, so we can venture out and find some breakfast?" he suggested.

"Sounds good," I readily agreed.

Unfortunately for us, the only place with food within walking distance, was the liquor store across the way. I mildly feared getting food poisoning as we downed our lukewarm breakfast burritos, but at the moment, I was too hungry to care.

"It's certainly not the gourmet breakfast I'm sure you're use to living in the big city," Edward said as we ate.

"I'm starving, so its delicious," I disagreed.

After we were finished, we just took a stroll around the area, and talked about everything and nothing at all. It was really nice, but my baffling sense of closeness to him only grew with every word uttered between us.

"I'm sorry I didn't listen to you about that van yesterday," I told him as we made our way back to the garage.

He shrugged. "I'm just glad you didn't get in. It would have ruined my entire week if you ended up on the six o'clock news."

I laughed. "The headline would have read - 'Woman Kidnapped For Being Stupid'."

"Nah, I don't think you're stupid. This trip has just clearly put you out of your comfort zone."

"Maybe that's not such a bad thing," I mused.

"Maybe not," he agreed quietly.

Rather than marinate in that growing tension between us, we both seemed to know it was best to break away as quickly as possible.

"I'm going to go check on the car," he mumbled.

Less than ten minutes later, he was back out with his keys in hand, so we hurried back to the motel to grab our things, and then we were back on the road.

"You sure you don't mind going to Forks first?" he questioned.

"Not at all."

So he smiled, and headed in that direction. We continued laughing and joking for the rest of the drive, and when we entered the Forks city limit, I was almost as excited for him as he was.

We arrived at the reading with twenty minutes to spare, and then I waited in the car as he went inside alone. He was only gone for about a half hour, and when he came back carrying a medium sized bag, his face said it all.

"It didn't go the way you hoped?" I guessed, judging by his expression.

He shook his head subtly. "Apparently some long lost cousin of his claimed his entire estate, but he was able to leave me this awesome 'Cheers' memorabilia light up sign."

"Oh," I said sympathetically. I truly felt his disappointment straight through my gut. He had counted on that money to be the catalyst for changing his life, and he drove all the way across country to get there. It was heartbreaking.

"Its fine…. Hoping an old man left me some money in his will is pretty pathetic. I mean, I haven't even talked to him in years."

"Yeah, but you said you were close at one time, so it's perfectly understandable for you to get excited about it," I tried comforting him.

"To get excited about someone's death seems pretty wrong to me. I should have never come here."

"What will you do now?" I asked hesitantly.

He took a deep breath, and then put the car into reverse. "I'm going to finish this job, and take you to your boyfriend."

His words made my stomach flip, but I tried to ignore it. "Okay, but what about after that. What comes next for you?"

He shook his head absently. "I don't know. I guess I'll just do what I've always done, and take it one day at a time."

I wanted to give him some encouragement, or even a few words of wisdom, but the sentiments were stuck in my throat. Even with a million thoughts abruptly invading my mind, I couldn't focus on a single one of them, so I said nothing. My silence almost felt like a tragedy in a way, but I simply didn't know how to verbalize anything without verbalizing everything, and that was something I simply wasn't ready to do.

We drove silently the entire way to La Push, and when he pulled up in front of the location of the wedding, we both just sat in the car, and endured the heaviness between us. I truly didn't want to get out. In fact, the very idea of separating from him at that point seemed almost foreign and completely unbearable, but I was so scared shitless by what that meant, that I couldn't let myself acknowledge it.

"Thank you for the ride… and everything else," I murmured. "Um… this is my home address and cell number. Whenever you get to wherever you're going next, give me a call, or… write even. I want to make sure I pay you back for the room."

Edward took the small piece of paper out of my hands, and then looked down at it.

Another several beats passed, when suddenly there was a bang on the window, making us both jump.

"Oh, Jacob," I said as I reflexively opened the car door to get out.

"Well, this is a surprise. What are you doing here?" he asked, with his wide grin stretched across his face. He looked stunning in his tux clad perfection, but as he leaned in to kiss me hello, I found myself taking a step back. He didn't question my hesitation, or even seem to notice. "And why have you been sitting in an old beat up Toyota with Volvo emblems?"

"Uh… this is Edward… he's my Uber driver," I said awkwardly as the two men eyed each other through the open car window.

"Oh, do you need to pay him, or something?" Jacob asked, obviously confused as to why he was still there.

"No. It's already squared away," Edward told him, which certainly was not true. I owed him for everything.

"Awesome!" Jacob said enthusiastically.

"Um… we ran into some issues along the way, and Edward was really great. He helped me out a lot," I explained.

"Cool. Thanks bro. I'm in your debt," Jake said to Edward before turning back to me. "Hey, we're not supposed to have any plus ones, but since you're already here, you should come inside and meet everyone. As long as you don't eat anything, it should be fine."

"Oh… Yeah, okay," I said, before turning back to Edward. "Please call me," I reiterated.

"Yeah, of course. Good luck," he replied emotionlessly. "Don't forget your bag."

"Oh… right," I said with a forced laugh. "Thank you," I told him again softly.

Jacob grabbed my suitcase out of the back, and the moment the door was shut, Edward flicked a wave at me, and then backed up the car, and disappeared down the way.

My stomach did flips as I stood there and watched the direction his car had left in. The pain in my chest was so confusing, that I found myself stuck in a thick haze.

"You ready?" Jake asked after a minute.

I inhaled deeply, hoping to clear my mind, it didn't work. "Yeah. Can't wait," I lied absently.

Jake stashed my suitcase somewhere, and then he started towing me around, and introducing me to far more people than I could ever hope to remember. The entire time I remained locked in that daze, finding it impossible to focusing on anything in front of me. It almost seemed like I was watching someone else's life wiz before my eyes, and it actually made me nauseous.

My father's wedding band, which I had brought to propose to Jacob with, suddenly felt like it weighed a hundred pounds where it sat concealed in my purse, and I knew I couldn't fight it for a moment longer...

I was making a mistake.

"So, you two planning to marry soon?" someone asked, knocking me out of my newfound enlightenment.

"Shh! Don't blow the surprise," Jake said with a wink to me. "Actually, we have been discussing it, and I may just have an appointment at Tiffany's when we get back to New York."

"Oh, you're letting her pick out her own ring? That's awesome! I wish my husband would have let me pick out mine. Now I'm stuck with this god awful thing for the rest of my life," the woman grumbled while showing us her gaudy ring.

"That's kind of what I thought. I want my baby to love her ring, so what better way to ensure that then to pick it out herself." Jake said with a kiss to my temple.

"I… Jake… I can't do this," I said shakily. I was about to completely flip my life upside down on a whim, and a stranger's adorable grin, and I couldn't tell if I was terrified, or the most excited I had ever been in my entire life. "I'm sorry, but… I have to go."

"Oh, are you having stomach issues? You didn't eat anything questionable on your trip, did you? I just hope you're not coming down with the flu. I can't afford to get sick right now. Big case back home," he told some of the people with a smile.

"No, I can't do any of this. I'm… going to move out of our apartment," I told him, which finally got his serious attention.

We walked outside and I explained everything to him the best I could. Considering I didn't even fully understand it myself just yet. He thought I was absolutely insane and I agreed with him. But that didn't change anything. We were both upset to see the end of our long-winded relationship, however neither of us were even close to being as upset as we probably should have been. Edward was definitely right when he said I was marrying the wrong man. Even if I never found him again, I would not regret ending that relationship. Jacob was a great guy, just not the right great guy for me.

Since I never got Edward's cell number, I did the only thing I could think of to contact him, and thankfully, my cell phone finally had service.

I stared at Edward's Uber profile for a long few minutes, and I couldn't help the smile that spread across my face. It was madness. I just met him the day before, and yet there I was, giving up everything for him. It was irrational, but I never felt more sure about anything in my life.

"Okay Edward, I need you to come back," I said to his picture while submitting my request for a ride on the app.

I waited for what had to be the longest five minutes of my life, and then there was a ding. – My ride was coming.

Edward pulled up a few minutes later, and got out of his car, looking at me completely confused. "That was quick. Ready for your honeymoon already?"

I couldn't contain those radioactive butterflies for a moment longer, and my entire body reacted as a response. It was the most forward I had ever been when it came to romance, but I didn't care. I took the leap, and I kissed him hard… and thankfully, he kissed me back with just as much fervor.

It felt like it had been building between us for years, rather than just the past twenty four hours, and it was so good, that I wondered how I could have ever been satisfied by all the mediocre kisses that came before it. I never even knew that level of intense passion had existed before, and it was a feeling I was sure would last well beyond the inevitable moment our lips would have to break apart.

"I don't understand," Edward said as he pulled away. "Did Mr. Muscles say no?"

"No… I did. I want to go with you. Wherever you're going, that's where I want to be."

He shook his head. "I have nothing to offer you. I have twenty bucks in my pocket, and whatever is in my car, and that's it. You may think it sounds exciting now, but… it won't be long before that kind of lifestyle gets old. Trust me, I know. I can't ask you to give up on anything for me… for nothing."

"It's not nothing," I told him with conviction. "It's everything. I've never felt more alive than I have since I met you. I haven't truly felt at home since my dad died… until I was sleeping next to you. It doesn't matter where we go, I just don't want to be anywhere you're not… I know it sounds crazy since we just met, but…"

"It feels right," he agreed.

I nodded. "It feels right."

"But how are we going to survive on nothing? Driving for Uber will only get us so far."

I smiled at him. "Well, I just so happen to have a large bank account and excellent credit. Think we can find a little town somewhere for our bar and grill? Forks back there sure looked nice. We already have an awesome 'Cheers' sign to hang in it."

His smile lit up his entire face, and it honestly had to be the most beautiful sight I had ever seen.

"So… are you going to propose to me now?" he asked unexpectedly. "It is leap year on Quileute land."

I smiled just as big in return, and then pulled out my father's ring. "I don't know. Are you prepared to say yes? You have to say yes if I propose here today. It's a sacred tradition."

"This is fucking nuts," he said with a chuckle as he looked at the ring.

"I know. It doesn't make any sense… that's why I trust it," I said softly, and becoming completely serious. "Its crazy, and terrifying, but I've never loved anyone the way I love you. Edward Cullen, will you marry me?"

His humorous smile faded, and the look of pure love radiated from his eyes. "I have something for you," he murmured, before turning back to his car, and digging through the bag his inherited 'Cheers' sign was in. He quickly returned with a small box. "I didn't just inherit the sign… they said this was his mother's, and he wanted me to have it," he explained, before showing me a breathtaking vintage diamond ring.

"Wow," I said, unable to think of a better response.

"Yeah, its pretty nice. I hope its real," he said with a laugh, before falling serious again. "Anabella Swan.."

"It's Isabella," I corrected him.

"Oh… Sorry," he said sheepishly. "Isabella Swan, you have to be the most crazy, neurotic, foul tempered woman I have ever met, but under all of that, you are incredible, and intelligent, and beautiful, and you fascinate me like no other. I've spent every moment since the moment I met you…yesterday, falling head over heels for you. I never thought I would ever love anyone, let alone fall in love this quickly, but I know this feeling I have for you is frighteningly intense, and irrevocable, and leaving you here a bit ago just about killed me. I never want to experience that feeling again. I can't promise you our lives will be anything close to perfect, but I promise I will always fight for you, and do everything in my power to make you happy. I want to spend the rest of my life discovering every facet of you. Bella, will you marry me?"

I smiled at him with tears in my eyes. It was such a surreal moment, and I honestly couldn't believe it was actually happening. It was rash, and spontaneous, and everything I had always snubbed my nose at, but it was absolutely incredible, and I didn't have a doubt it was meant to be… however, I just couldn't accept his proposal.

"It's still leap year, or leap day, or whatever. You're supposed to accept my proposal, not the other way around," I told him as seriously as I was capable of.

He smirked my favorite smirk, and then we were both smiling uncontrollably. "Now this is a story to tell your kids and grandkids about."

"Our kids and grandkids," I corrected him emotionally. "If you say yes, that is."

"Our kids and grandkids," he echoed with emotions that matched mine. The next words he spoke were soft and gentle, and so incredibly full of love. "My answer is yes."


End file.
